‘Superfan’ Mama Joy and Renaldo Gouws get into week-long battle on X

South African “superfan” Mama Joy Chauke is probably the most recognisable fan at South African sporting events across the globe. Whenever there is a World Cup and South Africa is playing, Mama Joy is captured by cameras in the stands due to her colourful and patriotic gear and the images are beamed across the world.

However, her presence has not inspired everyone. Last week DA councillor and YouTuber Renaldo Gouws posted to X: “I was today years old when I found out these two are paid by the department of sports, arts and culture to go and be supporters in the stands. I'm not joking, they are paid by taxpayers to go to sporting events across the world to 'represent' South Africa,” tweeted Gouws.

A few hours later he followed up with a more detailed breakdown targeting Mama Joy's recent attendance of world sporting events.

“Mama Joy has attended three events in the past 12 months on behalf of taxpayers: Qatar Soccer World Cup; New Zealand Soccer World Cup (Ladies); Rugby World Cup in France So no room for other 'superfans'? Always the same tannie? Sounds a bit unfair doesn't it?” said Gouws.

The next day, Mama Joy came back with an offer for Gouws to join her in a stadium to see how many people love her presence at the events. 

Mama Joy was supported by the minister of sports, arts and culture Zizi Kodwa, who lashed back at Gouws in a statement: “Mama Joy has become the face of the Braai Army in France. She is raising agency and voice of women in a male dominant environment. It cannot be correct for South Africans who are refusing change to use the Rugby World Cup to push their underlying racism and patriarchal tendencies to bully and insult a woman who has built a profile as a superfan across all sporting codes from the bottom-up.”

Gouws responded to Kodwa with a lengthy tweet and ended it with: “This isn't a question of 'racism' or 'patriarchy'. This is a question of what is ethical and right when it comes to promoting our sportsmen and sportswomen in South Africa, regardless of the colour of their skin or what gender they belong to,” said Gouws.

Gouws made it clear he was surprised to see government could send “superfans” around the world but not their own athletes to attend sporting events.

Mama Joy continued to tag Gouws in tongue-in-cheek posts from France, showing videos of people praising her, shouting her name and also stating how wonderful Paris is.

Then the war began.

Here's a “blow-by-blow” account of the interactions.

On Monday , Mama Joy posted from India, where she will be appearing at the Cricket World Cup. 

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